Ingot stripper



D. KENDALL INGOT STRIPPER Filed Jan. 9, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 R M! M July 9, 1935.

KENDALL INGOT STRIPPER Filed Jan. 9, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR y 1935- D. KENDALL 2,007,275

INGOT STRIPPER Filed Jan. 9, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 D. KENDALL July 9, 1935.

INGOT STRIPPER Filed Jan. 9, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 m mm m Patented July 9, 1935 p w [INGOT sTR erER y We Kendall, Alliance, Ohio;

lizabeth Q. I

Kendall, executrix of said David Kendall;

deceased, assignorto Elizabeth Q., Kendall I Application January 9,

v 1 Claims.

i This invention relates to ingot strippersand provides a machine which'may be employed for stripping or releasing ingots from the'moldsin which they are cast. It is herein particularly described as applied to a machine capable of handling ingots which are cast either bigend up or fbig end down, although the invention in certain aspects has numerous other applications. 1

The stripping of big end up'ingots is accomplished by exerting downward holding pressure on the ingot mold andupward stripping "or releasing pressureon the ingot. It is customary in casting big end up ingots to use a hottop which provides a sink head extending above the top plane of the ingot mold,- and this upstanding portion of the ingot provides a convenient means of applyinggripping tongsfor effecting the upward pull. It has been heretofore proposed to i use ingot gripping tongs and mold engaging tongs which are carried by an overheadcrane structure and are lowered into place to effect stripping. It has been customary to arrange the ingot tongs in a plane at right angles to the mold tongs; This has been deemed desirable from the standpoint of economy in manufacture, but I have found that in operation it" is decidedly inferior to the structure herein described. 7 I arrange the ingot tongs so that they operate in the same general plane as the mold tongs, "and have found that numerous important advantages arise from such construction. In practice a stripper of this character is moved lengthwise of an ingot car track, the crane being stopped over each ingot while strip-ping is effected. Because of the v relatively greater size of themold tongs,-they have been arranged with their pivot axes extending longitudinally of the track, while, as stated, the gripping tongs have been placed atright angles thereto. This has made it necessary to raise the crane structure for considerable distance after each ingot has been strippedinbrder to raise the ingot tongs abovethe level of .the

sink head, thereby to allow clearance for the- 4 i According to my'invention the ingot tongs are v rockable about axes generally parallel to the mold tongs and thereby the raising and'lower 1933, Serial No.650,878

(Cl. 221'Si5) I c ing: ofthe stripping mechanism is entirely avoided. r This construction involves certain difliculties. For example, the mold tongs must be relatively wide in order to give sufiicient space for the ingottong mechanism. I have found, however, that this may be turned t oadvantage by making the mold tongs in the form of a broad U, thereby allowing a good view of the operation by the cranemen. By reason of the weight of the mold tongs,-it isdesirable toactuate them "mechanically. This can be readily efiected and much more rapidly than it would be possible to raise or lower the stripping mechanism as was required with the old constructions; I The ingot tongs are preferably actuated by a screw mechanism which serves to open and close the tongsandto raise'them for the purpose of obtaining stripping "power. The screw mechanism'is well adapted to fit into the space available and can be well enclosed so that it operates with a minimum of difliculty even under the very severe conditions of service encountered. lt is particularly desirable when used with-the positively actuated mold tongs. It is also very desirable where the machine is to serve for stripping either big end up or big end down ingots. In the caseof the latter it is necessary to use'the mold tongs forle'xerting upward strippingpressure on the ing'o't mold while a plunger is fitted to a head for engaging the top of the ingot and exertingdownward pressure thereon. The mold tongs are designed so as to engage the ears on the ingotmold, and'the plunger is made so that it can be removed at will. I

'The stripping mechanism may be used with any type of crane structure, but it is particularly. desirable to use a gantry type of crane. This type of crane may be arranged to straddle the' ingot car tracks and does not require elevated craneways. It can therefore be installed atrelatively low expense and may be used eitherinside the mill building or in the yard, as desired. The gantry type of crane also offers the advantage that it may be used formoving ingotcars, thereby relieving theyardengine of considerable work. @In the accompanying drawings illustrating a presentpreferred embodiment of my invention; "Figure l is a side elevation of a gantry crane carrying the stripping mechanism;

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is'a top plan view to enlarged scale I Figure 4 is a-vertical sectionthrough the head of the stripper and illustrating the mold tongs;

quired for the actuation of the. tongs -H.

the ingot tongs and the operating mechanism therefor; and

Figure 5 is a similar view but showing the use of a plunger for stripping big end down ingots.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, I have illustrated an ingot car C on tracks T and carrying ingot molds M containing ingots to be stripped.

' The stripping mechanism is carried by a gantry indicated generally by the reference character 2 and running on tracks 3. Theoverhead platform 4 of the gantry carries a downwardlyextending hollow framework 5 of structural steel which supports the stripping mechanism. The stripping mechanism is built around a body or carriage 6 which is slidable vertically in the framework 5 and may be raisedor lowered to any desired position by cables I passing around sheaves 8. At one end the cable'sl'l are deadended on the frame, and at the other, end they are secured to drums 9 which are connected through gearing I (see Figure 3) to an intermediate shaft I I, which shaft, in turn, is driven through worm gearing I2 by a hoist motor I3.

As best shown in Figure-4, the body or carriage 6 has a hollow extension I4 at the bottom, which extension houses an ingot tong body I carrying pivot pins I5 for the tong arms It will be noted that the axes of the pivot pin I G extend in the same direction as the tracks T and the tracks 3. The tong arms I! are formed integral with operating arms. I'Ia which extend upwardly and carry pivoted blocks lfl' slidably engaging the inclined cam faces I9 of a head 29. The cam faces I9 make a T-slot connection with the blocks I8 so that verticalqmovement of the head relative to the body. I5 effects positive opening or closing of the tongs l1.

The tong body I5 is. moved vertically relative to and within the extension I4 joi the carriage 6, this movement, however, being limited by hanger rods 2| (see Figure 2). The hanger rods are connected .at 22 .to cars on the tong ybody I5 and extend upwardly through, bosses 23 on thecarriage 6. Nuts 24 onthe hanger rods 2-| limit the downward movement of the tong body I5 when they are engaged by shock-absorbing springs '25 lying above the bosses 23.

As above indicated, the head 28 is also movable relative to the tong body I5. The head is slotted, as indicated at 26 (see Figure 4) and a limit pin 21 carried by the tong body I 5. lies in the slot. This pin limits the amount-of relative movement between the tong body I5 and the head 29 to practically the amount of movement re- In Figure 4 the head 20 is shown in its, uppermost position. The head has an extension 28 which is vertically slidable in the carriage 6. tension 28 also carries a nut 29 for a right hand screw 38 formed on the bottom end of a vertical shaft 3|. Just above the screw 3|) a left-hand screw 32 is formed on the shaft 3I, this screw being engaged by a nut 33 secured in thecarriage 6. Rotation of the shaft -"3I. will. obviously be effective for raising or lowering the-head 20 relative to the carriage 6. Rotation iseffected by means of a worm wheel 34 (see Figure 3) carried in a housing 35 on topof the platform 4. The shaft -3| is squared, as indicated at '86, so as to insure rotation while permitting adjustment of the tong mechanism vertically, as may *be'de'sired from time to time. The worm wheel- 34 is driven by a worm 31 from a motor 38, which may be operated in either, direction was to positively move 'the head 20 upwardly -or-downwardly as The ex-.

desired. A casing 3| a extends upwardly from the housing 35 to receive the upwardly extending portion of the shaft 3|.

When the shaft 3| is driven counter-clockwise, as viewed in Figure 3, the head 20 is lowered and the tong body I5 is lowered with it until the nuts 24, engaging the bosses 23, check the downward movement of the tong body I5. The head 20 then continues to lower and thus opens the tongs I'I. When the shaft 3| is driven clockwise, as viewed in Figure 3, the head 20 is raised, thereby closing the tongs I'I. Upward movement of the head 20, independently of the tong body I5, continues either until the articles gripped prevents further inward movement of the tongs IT, or until the bottom of the slot 26 engages the cross pin 21, after which the head 20 and the tong body I5 with the tongs I! move upwardly as a unit.

Mold tongs 39 are pivoted at 40 on the extension |4 of the carriage 6. These tongs are in the form of a broad U, as best illustrated in Figure 1, the lower portions 4| of the tongs 39 being arranged to engage the ears E of an ingot moldrM, as best shown in Figure 4. The tongs 39 are also provided with inward extensions 42 to engage the top surface S of the ingot mold M when stripping big end up ingots. The tongs 39 are positively opened and closed. Each tong arm carries a block 43 on a pivot 44. The blocks 43 slide in inclined cam grooves 45 in a casing 45 which surrounds the extension I4. Raising or lowering of the casing 46 will obviously cause the mold tongs 39 to be opened or closed; Raising or lowering of the casing 46 is effected by hanger rods 41 connected at their upper ends to levers 48 and 49. These levers are mounted on shafts 50, which shafts carry levers 5| connected by a link 52 to insure equal simultaneous movement of the levers 48 and 49. Actuation of the levers is obtained through a link 53 connecting the lever 49 with a crank 54 on a shaft 55. The shaft 55 is connected through worm gearing 56 to a motor 51 carried on the body 6. The motor 51 may be driven in either direction, as desired, to open or close the mold tongs 39.

The mechanism, as above described, serves to strip or release ingots which are cast big end up. In operation the stripping mechanism is lowered by the hoist until the extensions 42 of the mold tongs 39 lie just above the plane of the top surfaces S of the ingot molds M. The nuts 24 are adjusted so that when the body I5 is in its lowermost position, as determined by the hanger rods 2|, the points of the gripping tongs II lie a short distance above the top surface S of the ingot mold M so as to engage the sink head H of the cast ingot. It will be understood, of course, that the sink head H has been cast in a hot top and the hot top has been broken off prior to stripping. With the parts in this position the shaft 3| is rotated so as to raise the head 20. This movement causes the tongs I"! to grip the ingot and to lift it upwardly. Upward movement of the ingot mold M is resisted by the mold tongs 39 and the ingot is thus released from its surface adhesion with the mold. The direction of rotation of the shaft 3| is then reversed so as to release the grip of the tongs I1, the released ingot being left in the mold M for withdrawal by a crane when desired.

The releasing operation on the ingot in ues-- tion being now completed, the crane is moved along 'the track to bring it in proper position ag'oo'navs to engage the next ingot. is accomplished by meansiof a motor 58 driving thetrackiwheels 59 of the gantry through gears and i shafts as illustratedin Figure 2. Itis important to note thatelevation of the stripping. mechanism'isnot tongs 39 clears them of any interferencexwith a the ears E .of the ingot molds M1 Therefore, the stripping mechanism can. be i moved longitudinally without it being raised, or, alternatively, the ingot car can be movedso as to move the released ingot from under the stripper and to place another ingot in position for "stripping. have shown at 60 in Figure 2an operators pulpit, and Figure 1 shows at 6l the window in the adjacent mold tong '39flwhich givesrthe operator a full view of the whole mechanism. Therefore he can quickly and accurately place thestripper over an ingot. This-constitutes a great advantage of myinvention and by. reason of the fact that raising and loweringof the stripping mechanism after each operation is'elim inated, and the entire operation is greatlyfspeed- Figure illustrates the apparatus as it is e'm+ ployed for stripping big end down ingots. In the structure shown I have attached a plunger or bull-nose 62 which is secured to the head 26. When it is desired to strip ingots of this character, the head is moved to its lowermost position. The head carries a'boss 63 which is slidable in a collar 64 formed on the body !5, and when the head 20 is at its lowest position the boss 63 extends below the collar 64. The boss 63 is recessed'to receive the shank 65 of the bullnose 62, and a key 66 is driven in place to hold the bull-nose, tong body I5 and head 20 together. The key is of a length greater than the diameter of the boss 63, so that the projecting ends engage the collar 64. When the shaft 3| is rotated to raise the head 20, the key 66 raises the body IS with .it so that with the bull-nose in place the body I5 and the head 20 move up and down as a unit, the tongs I! being held open and out of the way as shown in'Figure 5.

When stripping big end down ingots the vertical position of the stripping mechanism is adjusted so that the bars 4| of the mold tongs 39 just clear the bottoms, of the ears E on the ingot molds. When an ingot is in position to be stripped, the mold tongs 39 are closed so that the bars M lie under the ears E. The shaft 3| is then actuated to drive the bull-nose 62 downwardly against the top surface of the ingot. Contact being once established, continued rotation of the shaft 3| tends to drive the bull-nose down and to lift the nut 33 and hence the carriage 6 upwardly. There is thus obtained a downward force on the bull-nose 62 equal to the weight of the movable mechanism and an upward force on the mold tongs 39 equal to the capacity of the stripping machine, which-effects the stripping operation.

As soon as release has been effected, the shaft 3! is rotated in the opposite direction to free the stripping mechanism and return the parts to the position of Figure 5.

Figure 2 shows arms 61 which are carried by the structural work of the crane and which may be lowered to the position shown or may be swung upwardly and out of the way as indicated by the dotted line 68. The arms 61 are adapted to engage the ingot car C, so that the crane; may be used for shifting ingot cars if desired; i1

I have illustrated and described a presentpreferred embodiment of theinventiom. It Willib understoodihowever, that it is not limited to the form shown but may be otherwise embodied-within the scope 'ofthe following claims. .5 -..Iwclaim:; J a l. A stripper comprising a rockable ingot tong and .a rockable molditong, the rocking axes extending in thesame, general direction. v i '2. A stripper comprising a movable supporting frame, a rockable ingot tong and arockable mold tong, the rocking'axes extending generally-in the d-irection of movement of the frame. I

3. A stripper comprising rockable ingot tongs andro'ckable mold tongs, the rocking axes ofthe tongs-extending in the same general direction.

4. A stripper comprising rockable ingot tongs,

means for positively actuatin'gthe same, rockable mold tongs, and means for positively actuating the same, therocking axes of the tongs extend" ing in the same general direction. I

5. A stripper comprising a vertically movable head, mold tongs supported independently of the head, and ingot tongs actuated by movement of theh'ead, the ingot tongs and the mold tongs'being rockable about generally parallel axes:

6. A stripper comprising a vertically movable head, screw means for actuating the same, mold tongs supported independently of the head, and ingot tongs actuated by movement of the head,

the ingot tongsv and the mold tongs being rockable axes extending generally in the direction of movement of the frame. I

9. A convertible ingot stripper comprising a vertically movable carriage, mold engaging tongs pivoted on the carriage, actuating mechanism for opening and closing the mold tongs, a tong body arrangedto be moved vertically relative to the carriage, a head vertically movable relative to the tong body, ingot tongs pivoted on the tong body, ingot tong actuating connections between the ingot tongs and head, means for moving the head relative to the carriage, and means for locking the head and tong body to each other, whereby the head and tong body may be moved as a unit.

10. A convertible ingot stripper comprising a vertically movable carriage, moldengaging tongs pivoted on the carriage, actuating mechanism for opening and closing the mold tongs, a tong body arranged to be moved vertically relative to the carriage, a head vertically movable relative to the tong body, ingot tongs pivoted on the tong body, ingot tong actuating connections between the ingot tongs and head, means for moving the head relative to the carriage, means for locking the head and tong body to each other, whereby the head and tong body may be moved as a unit, and means for connecting an extension to said head.

11. A convertible ingot stripper comprising a vertically movable carriage, mold engaging tongs pivoted on the carriage, actuating mechanism for opening and closing the mold tongs, a tong body arranged to be moved vertically relative to the carriage, a head vertically movable relative to the tang body, ingot tongs pivoted on the tong body, the axes of the mold tongs and ingot tongs being substantially parallel, ingot tong actuating connections between the ingot tongs'and head, means for moving the head relative to the carriage, and means for locking-the head and tong body toeach other, whereby the head and tong body may be moved as a unit.

12. A convertible ingot stripper comprising a vertically movable carriage, mold engaging tongs pivotedon the carriage, actuating mechanism for opening and closing the mold tongs, a tong body arranged to be moved vertically relative to the carriage, a head vertically movable relative to the tong body, ingot tongs pivoted on the tong body, the axes of the mold tongs and ingot tongs being substantially parallel, ingot tong actuating connections between the ingot tongs and head, means for moving the head relative to the carriage, means for locking the head and tong body to each other, whereby the head and tong body maybe moved as a unit, and means for connecting an extension to said head.

13. A convertible ingot stripper comprising a vertically movable carriage, mold engaging tongs pivoted on "the carriage, actuating mechanism for opening and closing the mold tongs, a tong body arranged to be moved vertically relative to the carriage, a head vertically movable relative to the tong body, ingot tongs pivoted on the tong body, ingot tong actuating connections between the ingot tongs and head, means for moving the head relative to the carriage, there being a key seat for receiving a key for locking the head and tong body to each other, whereby the head and tong body may be moved together.

14. A convertible ingot stripper comprising a vertically movable carriage, mold engaging tongs pivoted on the carriage, actuating mechanism for opening and closing the mold tongs, a tong body arranged to be moved vertically relative to the carriage, a head vertically movable relative to the tong body, ingot tongs pivoted on the tong body, ingot tong actuating connections between the ingot tongs and head, means for moving the head relative to the carriage, there being a key seat for receiving a key for locking the head and an extension :and tong body to each other, whereby the head, extension, and tong body may be moved together.

DAVID KENDALL. 

